Blue
by IPP
Summary: As a result of unfortunate circumstances, Joey Wheeler and Seto Kaiba bump into one another at a lavish beachside hotel. 3-chapter fic. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**Blue**

by **icypinkpop**

Pairing: Seto/Joey, hints of Yami/Yugi

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh, or these pretty boys. Too bad.

Authors Note/Warnings: First YuGiOh fic ever! OwO

I got this idea when I was staying at Hotel Del Coronado, lounging about lazily under an umbrella in a chair and a robe next to the pool. It just sort of came to me all of a sudden, and I couldn't pass it up x3 Hooray for plot bunnies.  
I did my best to make this as IC as possible; very difficult with this particular couple, but what's the fun of doing something easy? ;P On with the story!  
-

**Part One**

Sprawled out comfortably beneath the shade of a large umbrella, Joey Wheeler, second place winner of the Duelist Kingdom tournament and proud recipient of the three million dollars cash prize, stretched languidly and turned onto his side, allowing the wayward breeze to ruffle his messy blond strands. Reaching out, he snatched his cool cup of lemonade from the poolside table, slurping happily at his beverage through the curly straw and grinning like a madman. If someone had told him a few months back that he would be here, poolside, in one of the fanciest beach resorts in the world, he would have had quite a bit of fun laughing in their face.

His life just seemed to have taken a huge turn for the better.

With his winning of the tournament prize money had come the realization of his dream; his sister's eyesight had been restored and she could finally see again. He had also been able to quit his lousy janitor job at Domino High, where he had worked nights for the past year and a half for minimum wage, and was now spending his summer vacation by the coast.

A sudden clink of glass brought Joey from his peaceful reverie. The blond watched as his half-empty glass was refilled with lemonade by a petite waitress, who gave him a dazzling smile before heading off to cater to others in the opposite direction. Grinning, the teen cocked his head to the side and eagerly watched her leave, making no effort to conceal his stare towards the attractive brunette.

"Oh, great. So now they allow dogs by the pool."

Joey gasped in shock at the sound of the all-too-familiar voice. Brown eyes wide, he turned and stared up at the last person he had expected to see (and was rather making an effort to get away from) during his vacation.

An obviously perturbed, blue-eyed CEO stood before him, clad in only black swim trunks and an annoyed expression.

"Kaiba?!" Shaking his head a few times just to assure he wasn't having hallucinations, Joey pressed back against his chair in shock, taking a moment to get his breath back. "You…what the heck are ya doin' here? Don't cha have a big fancy company to run or somethin'?" He blinked rapidly in an attempt to assure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

Seto scoffed. "Despite common belief, I happen to take breaks from work once in awhile." Pale arms crossed across their owner's bare chest in one of those superior gestures that made Joey want to punch the billionaire in the face. "Although I didn't expect I'd being seeing you here. Tell me, puppy. Are you freeloading off one of your pathetic friends to stay here or did you sneak in through the back door?"

"Watch it!" Glaring daggers at the taller man, Joey sat up and clenched his fists warningly out in front of him. "I won the money from Duelis' Kingdom fair and square, hotshot! Why don't cha jus' go off to your own private beach resort or whatever and leave me alone?!" He groaned. "I'm jus' tryin' to enjoy myself, here!"

A particularly irked look was shot in Joey's direction. "And I don't suppose you realize you're enjoying it courtesy of my money?"

Confused, Joey cocked a blond brow, watching suspiciously as Kaiba extended a long, slender finger and pointed at an area somewhere above the blonde's head. Eyes wide, the shorter of the two tilted his chin up, gulping as he read the silver letters emblazoned upon the sign above.

'_Seat Reserved for Mr. Seto Kaiba'_

"Ohh…eheheh." Joey blushed and gave a goofy grin of apology, squirming into the chair on his right and managing to knock his cup of lemonade over in the process. "Sorry 'bout that, Kaiba. I was wonderin' how I managed to get the best seat in the house."

Seto gave his rival a flat look, obviously not seeing any humor in the situation. "Hn, whatever. Just keep your mangy paws away from me," he said coolly, seating himself upon the newly-empty chair and snapping his head to the right at the sound of a familiar giggle. He glared, shooting Joey a deadly look at the sight of his red-faced acquaintance. "What's so funny?!"

"N-nothin'." Despite what Joey's mouth said, his face was evidence of otherwise. Blond eyebrows were raised and he snickered behind his hands, brown eyes wide with humor that only intensified with the realization that the all-powerful Seto Kaiba didn't understand why he was laughing.

"Spit it out!"

"O-on your head, th-there's….AHAHAHA!" Completely losing control of his hilarity, Joey tossed his head back and let out a loud, jubilant string of whoops and giggles, holding his bare stomach with two hands. Blue eyes widened slightly in surprise, Seto gave a slow, sweeping look up at his forehead, lips parting at the sight.

A small, white bird had perched itself upon his usual immaculate locks, nestled down into the brown strands as if right at home in its nest.

Once his faculties had returned, Seto grit his teeth and swatted the small creature from his hair, eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of an incredibly amused blonde rolling back and forth in the seat beside him. "Quit your rolling around, mutt," he sneered, crossing his legs and leaning back against the seat. "Run along and get those fleas taken care of. They're obviously bothering you."

Still giggling wildly, Joey stood up from his seat and snatched his towel up into his arms, letting the insult fly over his head for once. It wasn't worth it, he decided; he had come here to have a good time, right?

"I guess I'll let ya be, Moneybags," he chuckled, glancing over with the sudden urge to examine Kaiba's naked torso more closely. Startled, he shook his head, composure fleeing for a moment before he managed to regain it. "Try not to get your feathers ruffled too bad."

Feeling as if he had bested Seto Kaiba for the first time in his life, Joey grinned and turned around to begin the journey to his room, mildly aware of a confusing, nagging mental impulse that ushered him to look back.

"The nerve of that idiot, filthy overgrown mutt!"

Growling, the usually collected CEO swung his fist into the downy pillow on the bed beside him, taking a long, calming breath to regain his composure. He had changed from his bathing suit into normal clothes again (mostly just out of the need to keep his hands busy with something), and was sat against the headboard with his face in his hands, silently thankful for the fact that his little brother had his own room. He didn't need to be walked in on at a time like this.

A lovesick Seto Kaiba wasn't exactly something that begged to be disturbed.

Blue eyes fluttering open, the tall brunette sat up slowly and walked over to the other side of the room, leaning against the wall in thought. It wasn't as if Joey Wheeler was the most pedigree of people; Seto had known from a young age that his own affluence practically guaranteed him the most well-bred, high-ranking individuals money could buy. However, he really couldn't have been less interested. The last thing he needed in his life was to come home to some snobbish, egotistical executive under the impression that their presence was the sole reason for the turning of the world.

In other words, his ideal lover wasn't somebody resembling that which he saw in the mirror.

He wasn't exactly sure what it was about Joey that attracted him. Perhaps it was the thought of a challenge, he mused, that kept him going after the lanky blond even after all good reason to fight had ended. As a duelist, he considered him amateur, but that wasn't what Seto was concerned with. It was the look in his eyes when he won a game, or when he found a comment particularly enraging and practically mangled his surroundings in an attempt to beat the living daylights out of whoever had said it.

At showing what he thought, Joey was definitely a master.

Perhaps that was why Seto had taken such an interest in him. Though he would never admit it, of course, some of the brunette's favorite days had been spent taunting and teasing Joey to the point that it was almost cruel. He loved to watch the fire build up in those brown eyes and spill out at him, enjoyed seeing just how much the blonde reacted to a few words.

Seto had learned many years prior that emotions just got in the way, but Joey never hesitated to let them out. Loudly. In public places, no less.

Groaning, the billionaire stood up straight and snatched the telephone from its place on the bedside table, pressing the button for room service. Although he knew perfectly well that what he was about to do went against everything he had said and done for the past couple of years, Seto Kaiba went by his own rules. He did what he wanted, and at the moment, he decided he should make the choice before his cool façade rose up and prevented him from reaching out as it had so many times before.

Joey Wheeler was about to see a very different side of his arch rival.

Order successfully placed, the teenage CEO lay back onto the bed and closed his eyes.

Let the games begin.

"Mmmmmmn." The next morning, Joey woke slowly and sat up in bed, stretching his arms into the air with a happy yawn. Looking sleepily around the room, he grunted and hoisted himself to his feet, padding drowsily to the bathroom to wash his face. As much as he was enjoying his vacation, he had to admit he was a little lonely. Serenity was still recuperating from her surgery and staying with their mother, so she couldn't have come along. And it wasn't as if he was about to invite his deadbeat, alcoholic of a father to a free beachside resort on the money he'd earned himself.

Joey had also offered to invite his friends along, but Tristan was out of town and Yugi had denied, having been planning a trip with Yami for their one year anniversary. The blonde was happy for them, of course, but he couldn't help but feel a little left out of it all. If his best friend had managed to find somebody, when was it going to be his turn?

Wiping a dry cloth over his cheeks, Joey looked up at his reflection in the mirror, studying it intently. It wasn't like he was ugly or anything; at least, he didn't think so. His last "relationship" with Mai hadn't gotten too far, and he dismissed it as a flirtation over anything else. She was beautiful, but he didn't really feel that much of a connection other than friendship with her. Once that period of steamy infatuation was over, he had pretty much resolved that he just wanted to stay friends.

Besides, he had to admit that brunettes were more his style.

Snorting, Joey giggled goofily at himself and strolled back out of the bathroom, startling at the sound of a sharp knock on his door.

"Room service!"

Head cocked, the blond made his way to the door and turned the knob, only to be shoved aside as a short, round women bustled in, pushing a cart into the room.

"I-er, I don't think I ordered nothin'," he said in confusion, brown eyes going large at the sight of all the covered plates and cups. Seemingly not listening, the woman set the cart up by his bed and shoved a piece of ornate, folded paper into his hands, pointing to it. "Delivery courtesy of a Mr. Kaiba," she quipped, leaving the room as quickly as she had come. Taking a moment to get that statement through his head, Joey plopped down on the edge of the bed and flipped the note open, eyes following the small, elegant script that was printed over the paper.

'_7:00 PM. La Mar. Don't be late. -Seto'_

"…Seto?" Puzzled to say the least, Joey propped himself up on a pillow and reread the note, trying to make sure he wasn't missing something. What was this about? The infamous _Seto Kaiba_ had ordered him breakfast?! What kind of crazy parallel world had he fallen into?

Reminded of the food, the blond snapped his attention back to the heaping cart, reaching out to remove the covers from each plate. His stomach made a happy sound at the sight; sizzling scrambled eggs with cheese, thinly sliced bacon, fried hash browns, five pieces of buttered toast, and fresh fruit were among the delicacies he uncovered. No longer caring at the moment _why_ the spoiled billionaire had done him this favor, Joey tossed the note to the side and eagerly picked up his fork, digging in.

About half an hour and five emptied plates later, Joey stretched out contentedly and fell back onto the mattress. Tempted to let himself drift back to sleep, he once again spotted the note and brought it back up towards his face, the meaning of the words slowly sinking in as his eyes widened to an almost comical size. _La Mar_…that was the name of the expensive hotel restaurant down by the lobby on the first floor. The kind of place you where had to get dressed up and make reservations to even have a shot at them letting you in.

"Seven o' clock…don't be late?" Joey gasped in shock and sat up with a jerk, ignoring his full stomach's protest at the sudden movement as the note's implications all but slapped him across the face. Was this an invitation for…a date? A dinner date with Seto Kaiba?!

To say he was shocked would have been an understatement. Surely that wasn't what Kaiba meant by this gesture…he probably just wanted a chance to humiliate him in public or something of the like. He'd done it plenty of times before, but...the blue-eyed CEO didn't seem to make any effort to keep his schemes under wraps. When he wanted something, he went out and took it, never seeming to care who or what tried to get in his way.

Despite how much Joey disliked the man, he couldn't help but admit Seto Kaiba never failed to impress him.

Feeling his stomach churn for a reason unrelated to the large amount of food he had just consumed, the blond stood up and moved over to the other side of the room, casting an unsure glance at the closet door. He was very…curious about what Kaiba had planned for him. He had the creeping feeling he wasn't going to be humiliated, but then again, he couldn't come up with a better explanation for the invitation, either. Whichever way the night proved to progress, at least it sounded like he was getting a free meal out of it all.

Heart fluttering almost audibly in his chest, Joey delved into the closet and rustled through his clothing options, wondering what exactly he was getting himself into.

"Heeeeeeeey sexy," Joey giggled and winked at his reflection, turning around to observe his polyester-clad backside in the looking glass. After a good amount of time wasted digging through bad Hawaiian shirts and beachwear, he had finally managed to unearth the only semi-formal articles he had brought along, namely a deep green silk shirt and some black slacks that hugged his long legs.

Looking himself over again, the blond flushed slightly and looked forcibly away from his reflection, tugging softly at the bottom of his shirt. He knew he shouldn't be getting so jazzed up when the night was probably going to end with him being humiliated anyways, but he couldn't deny he was a little bit…excited.

Okay, so Kaiba was attractive. He was a total jerk, though.

A really, really attractive jerk.

Snorting, Joey looked back into the mirror, trying in vain to force his unruly blond strands to behave. He wasn't gay; he had always liked girls and only girls…that was, until Kaiba came into his life. Most of the time, the billionaire's behemoth of an ego managed to successfully cover any sight of his redeeming qualities, but ever since Duelist Kingdom, he had been aware there was another side to the man who took joy in ruining his life. Seeing Seto interact with his little brother once his soul had returned to its rightful body had tugged at Joey's heartstrings in a way few things ever had. He wasn't sure why, but something about seeing someone so cold push their pride to the side and open up that way…Joey could remember wiping the tears from his face.

That day, Joey had become convinced that there was more to Seto Kaiba than met the eye, even if he didn't show it most of the time.

Finding himself staring up at the ceiling in thought, he shook himself from his trance and checked his reflection again, grinning a little in embarrassment. He was glad nobody could see. He had never made so much of an effort on his appearance before.

Once he had decided enough was enough, he pried himself from the full length mirror and checked his watch, realizing he was expected at the restaurant in about fifteen minutes. He knew he could get there in five easily enough, so he ducked under the chest of drawers and withdrew the small ice chest from inside the mini-fridge, deciding he might as well stock up before he went out.

Snatching his key from the bedside table, he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, glad that the ice machine was conveniently across the hall from his room. Stepping up to it, he reached out to press the button, brown eyes going wide when his hand clashed with a smaller one.

Turning his head, Joey gasped as he stared at an equally startled preteen, who had also been reaching for the knob with a small ice chest in hand.

"Mokuba!" he exclaimed when he had his wits back, grinning. "Hey there, kid. Kaiba didn' tell me ya came along with him!"

"You saw Seto?" Seemingly surprised, Mokuba watched the blonde's nod with wide, grey-blue eyes. "Oh, yeah. He let me have my own room," he shared, giving a proud little smile and puffing his chest out whilst he held up his key as evidence. "Seto's room is next to mine, though."

Joey smiled as he listened, leaning in to fill his ice chest and clicking the top down. "You're growin' up, kiddo. Before ya know it, you'll probably be taller than me."

Mokuba grinned.

"Anyways, I'm gonna go see your brother in a few minutes," Joey revealed, lowering his voice a little. "Down at that restaurant place. Ya know anythin' about that?" If anyone knew Seto Kaiba, it was Mokuba Kaiba, and he had a feeling the younger sibling just might know a thing or two about what his older brother had planned.

To his silent relief, Mokuba's eyes widened with what looked like realization.

"Ohh, Seto said he was renting it out for something important," the young Kaiba blurted, a slight tinge of uneasiness passing over his youthful features as a hand came up to his mouth before Joey could question him further. Confused, the older teen watched as Mokuba took a step back, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Umm, I-I dunno if I was supposed to say…" The child trailed off, looking back nervously over his shoulder. "I-I'll see you later, Joey," he muttered and turned around, black hair bouncing as he headed off in the opposite direction. Joey could only watch as he darted down a hallway and disappeared from view altogether, uneasiness building in the blonde's gut.

Somehow, that hadn't made him feel any better about this whole ordeal.

Returning the newly-filled ice chest to his room, Joey stepped back out into the hall and headed for the elevator, blushing at his own attempts to check his appearance in the reflective panels of the automatic doors.

"Where is he?!"

Standing beside the doors of _La Mar_, a tall brunette stood muttering mutinously under his breath, ignoring the way his words seemed to frighten most of the hotel guests that came within a few feet of the place. His upper body was encased in a blue silk top, complimented by dark navy pants and a matching jacket with shined shoes upon his impatiently tapping feet. "I told him seven o'clock! I did not rent this place out to be shown up! I swear to god, if he doesn't come I'm going to-"

"Hey, Richboy. Hope I didn' keep ya waitin'."

Blinking, Seto Kaiba let his eyes travel up, trying to look less surprised than he actually was. There stood the mutt, looking…pretty good, for his usual standards anyways. While the permanently mussed blond locks had scarcely altered in appearance, Joey's body was clothed in a surprisingly becoming combination of black and green, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, the urge to jump the shorter boy was…overwhelming.

Clearing his throat, Seto gave his rival a tolerating look, trying not to look too impressed.

"I suppose it will have to do."

Secretly relishing in the look of annoyance that was shot his way, the CEO extended a finger and beckoned, silently asking Joey to come closer. "I'm glad to see you got my note. You're coming with me; this place cost more money for a night than you're probably ever seen in your life and I don't plan to waste it."

Trying to hide his inner apprehension, Seto shot an arm out in a silent order for Joey to take it, blue eyes warning that the punishment for disobedience would be very unpleasant indeed.

Joey's brown eyes widened in complete shock as he realized what was being asked of him, and his feet were rooted to the carpet for a few moments, instilling the momentary fear into the elder Kaiba that he wasn't going to accept. However, his fears were mollified when the obviously confused blonde reached out, hesitantly taking his arm as if holding a very expensive (or very dangerous) piece of weaponry.

"I…what exactly is this about, Kaiba?" He heard Joey ask as they walked to a secluded table in the corner of the place, voice softened in what Seto believed to be awe. Not a soul inhabited the other tables around (the brunette had insisted specifically that the place be reserved for him and his date only), and the place practically radiated money, a thing Seto knew Joey hadn't had much of until his second-place victory in the Duelist Kingdom Finals.

The CEO couldn't hold back a smirk, releasing the arm and taking a seat at the predetermined booth. He sometimes forgot that other people didn't have luxuries like this, and it was nice to see the fiery blonde caught off guard.

"It's called a date, Wheeler," he finally got out, trying to look as insistent yet unintimidating as possible in an attempt to keep Joey from going anywhere. "You accepted it, so you're going to be spending the evening with me. And even you should know it's rude to call your date by their last name."

Joey blinked, brown eyes large before blonde brows drew down over them. Even in the low light, Seto could see the flicker of uncertainty over his face. "Whaddaya mean? I ain't callin' ya Mister or nothin'. That's creepy."

Seto couldn't help but laugh, a short, low chuckle that he made sure to accompany with a sardonic glance afterwards. "You're going to call me Seto, puppy. You really are an idiot."

As soon as the words left his lips, the usually emotionless CEO could feel a ball of regret building up in his stomach.

Startled, Joey groaned inside, feeling as though his heart had just been squeezed a little too tight within his chest. He should have known this was too good to be true. The moment he had grabbed a hold of Kaiba's arm, his hopes had skyrocketed through the roof, sending a menagerie of thoughts travelling through his brain. What if Kaiba really did like him? What if this wasn't a scheme to humiliate him?

The butterflies in his stomach had become especially aggressive the moment his fingertips had clashed with that blue silk.

Feeling emotion creeping up through his chest at the insult, Joey winced and refused to let the tears out. When had he become so emotional over this whole thing? Had he really been keeping his attraction to Kaiba pent up for so long?

Had his hopes that this might be something more really escalated so precariously high that a simple insult could tear them down?

"Fuck you!" Joey couldn't have held back if he had tried. Seething, he stood up and reached out, grabbing at Seto's collar and glaring daggers at him. "I bust my ass to look nice for ya, I come down here expectin' that maybe ya might be decent to me for one time in your god damned life, and here ya are, lookin' at me like I'm a piece of gum on the bottom of your shoe and tellin' me I'm not worth one god damned night at a god damned restaurant!"

Voice momentarily gone, Joey gasped for breath and shoved Seto back against the other side of the booth with the last of his anger, sinking back into the plush seating and ignoring the drink server, who darted quickly away from the scene in an obvious attempt not to interrupt.

The blonde averted his gaze, no longer making much of an attempt to hide how hurt he was. He wanted to spit in Kaiba's face, to storm off back to his room to punch at a pillow and shed a tear or two, but he couldn't force his legs to move. He had known the CEO for years now, been in school with him since seventh grade and had had these sorts of fights a thousand times over. But now it felt different.

Now that he had had a glimmer of hope that Seto just might view him as something more than an amateur and an annoyance, his emotional wounds were opened afresh and he could practically feel his heart straining to exit his chest.

"Wheeler."

Joey hadn't wanted to look up, but he did. Blinking twice, he glanced up and gasped, not having expected to find Seto's face (or body) scooted so close. For the first time since he could remember, those blue eyes didn't look particularly unkind…

Oh, who was he kidding? Seto Kaiba would never change.

"Listen to me."

"I don't wanna hear it," Joey said miserably, having a harder and harder time keeping his tears back as the seconds passed by. Regaining control of his feet, he stood up from the table and turned his back, vaguely aware that his tears were dripping upon the expensive carpet. "Save it for somebody who doesn't know ya like I do."

Careful for the first time to hide his face, the blond hung his head and trudged slowly out of the restaurant, ducking outside through the front door and heading for the crashing waves of the beach.

End of Part One! Oh no, the angst D:

No worries, I don't like sad endings and this is a **three**shot. That's right, three chapters. ;P Keep an eye out for Chapter Two!


	2. Chapter 2

**Blue**

by **icypinkpop**

Pairing: Seto/Joey, hints of Yami/Yugi

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh, or these pretty boys. Too bad.

Authors Note/Warnings: First YuGiOh fic ever! OwO

I got this idea when I was staying at Hotel Del Coronado, lounging about lazily under an umbrella in a chair and a robe next to the pool. It just sort of came to me all of a sudden, and I couldn't pass it up x3 Hooray for plot bunnies.  
I did my best to make this as IC as possible; very difficult with this particular couple, but what's the fun of doing something easy? ;P On with the story!  
--

**Part Two**

Idiot. He was such an idiot.

Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut?

Swishing the white wine around in his glass, Seto held back the sudden urge to smash it in his grip, simply setting it on the table away from him instead. He couldn't believe he had actually reduced Joey Wheeler to tears.

Was he really that cruel?

The lack of any response from the other end of the table reminded him that however cruel he was, he had been enough so to push his date away.

Wincing, Seto stood up, unable to take the silence anymore. He didn't want to go after Joey; his entire public identity as an independent person relied upon the impression that he needed no one. Usually, he was used to people coming to him, despite the fact that his cold exterior had a habit of keeping the more timid of his pursuers at bay.

The billionaire didn't think he'd ever been so completely unsure of how to handle a situation.

It only took a few moments of pondering to snap the CEO from his reverie. He was Seto Kaiba, and he took what he wanted, but this wasn't something he could obtain by means of some cash and a few pulled strings. Joey Wheeler had no price tag, so he would have to find another way to secure what he desired.

And it had to start with him finding out where the other had gone.

Striding from the table, Seto walked out into the hallway and stopped in his tracks, peering out the hotel entrance which faced the beach. Spotting a single silhouette out near the waves, he took a deep breath and slipped outside through the automatic doors, lip bit as he approached the slightly wet sand.

Oh, Hell. He could always buy more shoes.

Once he had toed off the shiny black articles and left them back by the door, Seto stepped gingerly towards the shady form, which, he could now discern, was facing towards the ocean and away from him. The sea breeze was chilly, and the brunette had to wince at the realization that date wasn't wearing a jacket. An oddly protective sheen glazed his eyes for a moment. It was his fault. He had driven Joey out here.

Once he had managed to approach the standing male, the CEO wasn't sure what to do next. He debated reaching out to put a hand on Joey's shoulder, but he didn't want to startle the blond too much. A soft sob brought him back to the matter at hand, and he winced visibly to realize just what Joey was doing.

Before he could stop himself, Seto spoke out.

"I wish you wouldn't."

Freezing, the blond figure kept still for a moment, back still turned towards the man he hadn't been aware was behind him. "…wouldn't what?" an unexpectedly soft voice questioned, and Seto once again found himself unsure of what to say. Bottom lip between his teeth, he decided to tell the truth.

"Cry."

Slowly turning around, Joey moved to face the taller man, sending a shot of guilt through the elder Kaiba's heart. With surprised blue eyes he looked over the blotchy, tear-streaked face and sad brown eyes, mentally shaking his head. If he had had any idea that Joey felt so strongly for him, he would have done this a long time ago.

"I-I ain't cryin'," Joey finally managed to protest, giving a quick wipe at his cheek with a silken green sleeve. "...I guess you're pissed about me wastin' your money, eh? Leavin' that place ya rented?"

Seto felt his heart thump madly in his chest. Well, it was now or never. He'd already had to swallow his pride to come out after the blond, and he supposed he could do it again.

"It doesn't matter," he told him, dismissing Joey's suspicions with a soft shake of the head. "I don't care about that."

Gazing up through his mussed bangs, Joey looked incredulously at the brunette, surprised. "Ya don't?" he asked, obviously having expected Seto to be angry. Appearing as though he thought he was missing something, he cocked his head slowly to the side, reminding the CEO vaguely of a puppy. "Why not?"

Taking a deep breath, Seto affixed the other with a serious gaze.

"Money can't buy what I want, Wheeler."

A few confused blinks later, Joey turned his head back to normal and, to the brunette's shock, a tiny smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. With an audible sigh, the shorter boy let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "Don't cha think ya should live by your own rules?"

Completely thrown off, the elder Kaiba simply stared, leaving Joey to giggle at the evidence of his confusion.

"Ya asked me to call ya Seto, right?" he said with a hint of a question in his voice, still smiling a little despite the sadness in his hazel eyes. "Then don't cha think ya should call me by my first name, too?"

Seto thought the words over a few times, both relieved and saddened by the fact that his classmate seemed perfectly cried-out.

"I…suppose I should…Joey," he ended up saying, lips finding their way around the name. He was so accustomed to referring to the blond as 'mutt' or 'Wheeler' that he supposed he had failed to realize just what a fitting name the other had. Joey.

If anything fit the boy as well as that dusky blond hair and honey brown eyes, he figured he'd found it.

Those same brown eyes widened in surprise at him, looking his way with the confidence Seto knew he liked. Many people cowered away from the billionaire, away from the icy shields he put up around himself and the poisonous glares he sent those who dared to find themselves in his way. But not Joey.

Unable to help himself, the Kaiba let a smirk slide over his lips.

"So did you really bust your ass to look nice for me?"

--

Joey flushed. Of all the things he had expected Seto Kaiba to say, he hadn't expected anything resembling a flirtation. Of course, it could also just be some ploy to stroke his ego further, but the look in those blue eyes once again lured Joey's trust out into the open.

If he was going to go down, he might as well go down laughing.

"Eh, what can I say?" he chuckled, looking down at himself. "Ya always look so damn put together, I figured I should probably give it a shot in the dark." Joey's mind had the courtesy to remind him that he had indeed spent more time than he ever had on his appearance that night, but the blond tried to ignore it.

Just what was it about Kaiba that made him so concerned about an aspect of himself he had rarely considered before?

"Listen, Kai-Seto," Joey corrected himself, a tint of interest coming into his eyes. "Whatcha said about money…what didja mean by that? I mean, ya could probably buy the whole world with the money you're earnin'…whaddaya want that ya can't buy?"

A momentary hush fell over the two. Squirming uncomfortably, Joey gave into the evening crispness and wrapped his arms around himself, only to gape as a soft, navy blue jacket was slowly held out in his direction.

"You're cold. Take it."

The blond stared straight ahead, peering distrustfully at the blazer as if afraid it would bite him. He wasn't sure which was more disconcerting: the fact that Kaiba was offering him his coat or the uncharacteristic softness in his voice as he did it. Hadn't he just witnessed evidence of the CEO's unyielding coldness a few minutes prior?

Warily, he reached out and took the article of clothing into his hands, wrapping it around his shoulders and shuddering happily. It felt so warm on his skin, soothing the harsh chill of the seaside gusts. He silently wondered, not without a slight flush of cheeks, however, if Kaiba's arms would feel even warmer.

"Er…thanks."

Seto nodded and held out his arm.

"Well, to answer your question, I want a walk with you," the CEO said silkily, surprising Joey with his forwardness. Then again, the blond supposed he should have expected it. Kaiba very rarely wasted words.

Sighing, the shorter male thought it over. He really didn't want a scene to happen again; it had exhausted him and he didn't have the energy to cry any more. He knew he should be mad at Kaiba, infuriated as usual with how he treated him, but…there was something sincere in his rival's words that brought his anger down to a low, almost nonexistent simmer. It was unusual and surprising not to hear a tinge of sarcasm or tone of annoyance in Kaiba's voice, but Joey couldn't say he minded.

He inwardly recalled a dream or two involving that velvety tone and shivered, stepping a little closer but ignoring the offered arm. "…'kay. Let's walk," he agreed with a soft nod, not trusting himself nor Kaiba enough to attempt physical contact again. For all he knew, the brunette might take his trust as an opportunity to hurt him again, and Joey didn't want to give the impression that he had forgiven him for all those years of cruel taunting.

Plus, with the way he was feeling, he half-expected to start sliding his hands all over that tall body as soon as his fingers had a chance to touch it.

Seto seemed to understand the hint, returning his arm to its previous position at his side. Slowly, the taller man began to stride forwards over the sand, moving slowly as if to allow Joey to catch up. The blond did so, fingers clenched over the arms of the coat in an effort to keep it from blowing off.

For a few minutes, they padded along the coastline, the only sounds the rushing of the starlit waves and the dull thrushes of their feet over the sand. Joey was inwardly glad that they didn't have to talk, not sure what sort of nonsense would come out if he dared to open his mouth again.

The soft sound of moving fabric distanced him slightly from his thoughts, but it was nothing compared to the shock he felt when a warm arm made its way around his waist.

It was all Joey could do to keep back the startled noise of disbelief that was lodged in his throat.

Seto Kaiba had an arm around him, holding him softly to the brunette's side as they walked.

Repressing the urge to continue stating the obvious, Joey squirmed softly but didn't nudge the appendage away, gut tightening and body starting to sweat as he looked down to see slender fingers curled around the arch of his hip. It took him a few moments to muster up enough courage to chance a quick look up from the ground; Kaiba was still staring straight ahead, feet taking the same slow, sweeping steps as before. Wondering wildly whether his imagination was playing tricks on him, Joey glanced down again, cheeks heating at the sight. It was still there, and he could feel the soft warmth of each digit beneath his shirt.

He wasn't sure whether he should be leaning in for a kiss or kicking Kaiba repeatedly in the crotch.

Joey sighed, half trying not to acknowledge just how nice it felt to be against the CEO's body. A year ago, he would have gladly beat the shit out of anyone who suggested he would enjoy doing something like this with another man. Since his gang days had ended however, he had learned to become a little more open-minded; now that he had friends to confide in and money to pay the bills, he saw no reason to go on hating things all the time for no good reason. Besides, Joey Wheeler had a pretty good disposition by nature, and happily filled his niche of class clown on a daily basis.

But his temper had never really gone away regarding a certain brunette, and now the blond suspected he understood why.

"Something wrong?"

That noise he had been holding in for a few minutes finally made it out as Joey struggled to keep from jumping out of his skin. Eyes darting over to lock with his date's, he bit his bottom lip and shook his head from side to side. "Nah," he eventually got out, widening his eyes as he tried to look convincing. He knew Kaiba wouldn't fall for it though, and that knowledge only served to heighten his anxiety.

"Ahm alright…jus'…maybe we should call it a night, ya know?" He tried to play it off cool, stilling his feet when Seto stopped walking and simply standing there with a flush over his face. As if sensing the blond's discomfort, Seto gave the other's hip a light, almost nonexistent squeeze before removing his arm and hand. Blue eyes stared into brown, and Joey wondered exactly what he had done to deserve such temptation.

"Are you sure?"

Shivering, the shorter male stared hesitantly back, trying to interpret that particular question. Hell, he had just been walking under the moonlight with _Seto Kaiba's_ arm around him, for God's sake! What was he supposed to expect next?!

"Eh, yeah," he eventually decided, nodding his head in the affirmative. "I mean, I'm kinda losin' steam here. Unless ya have a better idea." Deciding he would ask the questions in his head at a later point when he wasn't so incredibly tired, Joey gave the other a soft nod and waited for a response, only to be brought back to full alertness by the sudden close-up view of Seto's face.

Startled, he began to back up out of confusion before the feel of hot breath over his lips left him paralyzed. Frozen with disbelief, all Joey could do was stand as a warm mouth sealed fleetingly over his own in an evanescent kiss, which left as quickly as it come. Before the blond could be completely sure he hadn't imagined it, Seto was long gone, a dark and distant silhouette slipping back into the hotel lobby by means of the automatic doors.

Emotions running through his eyes, Joey watched the figure intently until it left from sight, clutching the navy blue fabric draped about his shoulders.

--

"Seto! SETO!!"

An 'oof' was Seto's only reply as a large weight landed atop him and pressed him into the mattress, blue eyes opening just enough to recognize the spiky, raven strands.

"…what is it, Mokuba?" Suddenly worried that his little brother was in danger, the brunette swiftly wrapped two arms around him and quickly scanned the room for any signs of peril, only to be mollified by the calm (and slightly embarrassed) look on the other's face.

"S-Seto, you're squishing me."

Seto loosened his death grip at the realization that he was indeed squashing his younger sibling, sighing softly at the wide-eyed enthusiasm evident over Mokuba's face. "I thought I told you only to use your key for emergencies," he scolded tiredly, not having expected to be woken up so early in the morning by his hyperactive brother. Upon being given two keys when they had first arrived at the hotel, the Kaiba brothers had given one other the spare keys to their rooms, just on the off chance that help was needed when they weren't together.

At this point, Seto was wondering whether he should regret that choice.

"I know," Mokuba told him as he settled onto the bed, none the less effervescent for his brother's attempted glare. "But you said you would go to the beach with me today, Seto! You promised we could go early!"

Seto sighed, remembering that particular conversation. Where that kid got all his energy, he'd never know. "I know I did, kiddo," he reassured, sitting up against the headboard and very nearly dislodging the excited preteen perched between his legs. "We'll go. Just…I need a few more minutes to sleep. I had a long night."

At that comment, Mokuba looked up in concern, recognizing the slight strain in his brother's voice that evidenced he was under some kind of stress. "But…we're on vacation, Seto. You don't have to work," he said matter-of-factly, a soft light of realization coming into his blue-grey eyes. "Big brother, what happened with Joey last night?"

Eyes large, Seto stared over at his little sibling. How did Mokuba know about that? Damn, the kid really was too smart for his own good.

"Hn, what makes you think this has anything to do with that idiot?" He feigned carelessness, hoping his younger brother would fall for it. Unfortunately, the look in Mokuba's eyes alerted him to the fact that it wasn't going to be that easy.

Seto supposed that he, over anyone else, should know not to try and deceive a Kaiba.

"I know you rented out that place for him, Seto," Mokuba revealed, nodding enthusiastically up and down. "I ran into him when I was going to get ice to keep my fridge cold. He said he was going to meet you there." A tilt of the head successfully conveyed his confusion. "Why'd you do that, Seto? Did something happen?"

Memories from the night before flashed through the brunette's mind, and he clenched his fingers around the bedding, unsure of how to explain himself. He hadn't told Mokuba about his…interest, but he had the creeping feeling that his little brother was on the verge of figuring it out. For a twelve year-old, the boy was almost frighteningly quick-witted.

It wasn't as though Seto wanted to hide what he felt, but he simply couldn't be sure of Joey's thoughts regarding him yet. For all he knew, the blond had been repulsed by his kiss and never wanted to see him again; the possibility was grim, but it existed nonetheless. Not to mention the billionaire had never really been in a steady relationship before; it was exceedingly possible that he had made some sort of terrible, unforgivable error in his pursuing of Joey Wheeler. The CEO knew well that he had made a few mistakes already, and he wasn't about to reveal the details of what he had done without further knowledge regarding whether a real relationship was going to work between him and his past rival.

Besides, he wasn't particularly sure he wanted Mokuba involved in his love life.

"We'll talk about it later," he finally decided, checking the clock with a quick glance to his right. 7:15 AM. There was just enough time to give Joey another surprise, and he could only hope the blond wouldn't react badly to it.

"But Seto-"

"You go get your bathing suit on; I'll meet you in the lobby in ten minutes."

Worry forgotten, Mokuba leapt from the bed with a grin, practically bouncing with excitement. "Okay! See you, Seto!" he bid a hasty goodbye, scurrying off and out of the room with his dark tresses bouncing behind him.

After a fleeting look of fondness in his brother's direction, Seto turned his attention to the phone and produced a small piece of paper from the bedside drawer, face taken over by concentration.

--

KNOCK KNOCK.

"Room service!"

"…eh?"

Semi-awoken from his slumber, Joey squirmed in reluctance to move, peering out towards the door through his cocoon of blankets. A few moments later, when the words had gotten through his head, he blinked and slipped drowsily from his bed, wandering to the door and opening it up. The smell of food aroused his senses and he immediately rose to full consciousness, watching as a rather short man bustled in with a cart of breakfast.

"Special delivery from Mr. Kaiba," he said boredly, setting the trays up over by the blond's unmade bed. Making his way back to the door, he slipped a piece of folded paper, identical to the one Joey had received the morning before, into the teen's hand, stepping back out into the hall and shutting the door behind him.

Feeling a quiet sense of déjà vu in the pit of his stomach, Joey stared curiously at the note, eventually setting it to the side. He would read what it had to say after he had eaten. The lack of any dinner the night before had left his gut roaring with the need to be filled.

As he stuffed his face happily with the omelet he had discovered underneath one of the plate covers, Joey found himself thinking back to what had happened the night prior. Seto had kissed him…well, if a gentle, quick press of lips could be referred to as a kiss, anyways. After the brunette had left him back at the beach, it had taken Joey quite a long time to get his legs to function properly enough to drag himself back to his hotel room.

A soft flush covered the blonds face at the realization that Seto's coat lay wrinkled over his pillow.

Shoveling the remainder of his breakfast down his throat, Joey snatched the note again and held it in his hands, wondering where this whole thing was going to go from here. He could only assume that Seto really did like him, as strange a concept as that was. Heck, if the brunette was out to humiliate him, he could only imagine the kinds of things Seto could have said and done when that arm was around his waist. However, the CEO had kept quiet, and Joey couldn't think of any other explanation for his uncharacteristic behavior.

Joey raised a hand to his lips, touching them softly as they tingled. That kiss…

He couldn't take it anymore. If he didn't talk to somebody other than himself he was going to go nuts.

Brown eyes lighting up with evidence of a plan, Joey leaned back over his bed and grasped the phone from its hook, lifting it to his face and dialing in the one number he knew by heart.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Yug'!" Joey grinned at the sound of his best friend's voice, chuckling. "Sorry to interrupt your anniversary or whatever ya got goin' on. I just wanted to talk to ya."

A low sound from the earpiece turned Joey's grin into a look of confusion.

"N-no…Yami stop that." Yugi's voice sounded slightly muffled and far away, accompanied by what sounded vaguely like a soft squeak. "Not now…Y-Yami…Yami go away!"

A dull whack resonated over the line, and the listening blond couldn't help but turn a rather spectacular shade of pink.

"Sorry about that, Joey," Yugi's voice apologized, sounding closer again though a tinge more embarrassed than it had before. "You know how he gets sometimes…was there a reason you called?"

It took Joey a moment to remember. "O-oh, ah, yeah, I…wanted to talk to ya a little about Kaiba," he admitted, practically hearing Yugi's surprised silence over the phone. "I know, it's weird…Yug', do ya know if Kaiba's had any girlfriends or anythin'?"

Not surprisingly, it took Yugi a few seconds to respond back. "Girlfriends?" he eventually asked, obviously not sure where his best friend was going with this particular direction of conversation. "…I dunno, Joey. I mean, all the girls at our school like him but he never really seems to care about any of them. He's always alone, you know?" A short pause, followed by what was presumably another deterring whack at a certain Egyptian Pharaoh. "I don't think I know any more about Kaiba then you do. Why?"

"Uhhmm…" Crap, now what was he supposed to say? It wasn't like he wanted to keep things from his best friend, but he wasn't really sure where his and Kaiba's relationship stood at the moment. He didn't want anyone to jump to any conclusions.

"Eheh, no reason really…it's just…I ran into him here at the hotel."

"You did?" Yugi sounded obviously surprised, and Joey could practically see his confused expression as the shorter boy questioned him. "He's on vacation too? I didn't think he ever took breaks."

The blond chuckled. "That's what I said."

"Anyways, did he say anything to you? I hope he isn't being mean and ruining your vacation," Yugi said in concern, worry following his voice over the line.

"Nah, believe me Yug', it's okay. I'm havin' a great time. I actually think we…we might be startin' to get along."

When Yugi still hadn't answered after about ten seconds, Joey blushed and figured he should keep his mouth shut against any further things that could spill out.

"It's all right, I can tell you're busy. See ya in three days Yug'," he told him, hanging up the phone just in time to avoid hearing the choked moan that would have spilled out through the earpiece. Laying back against the bed, Joey hoisted himself into a sitting position and stared at the nearby piece of paper, taking a deep breath.

It was now or never.

Lip bit, he unfolded the card and read the small, elegant cursive inside with surprise, brown eyes sweeping over the paper.

'_We need to talk. I'll come to you. 12:30. -Seto'_

Before Joey could glance at the clock, there was a soft knock at his door, and the note fell from his fingertips.

--

:D I hope you liked Part Two. I've never written anything for this fandom before, so please let me know how you like it!

Part Three will be coming soon :P


	3. Chapter 3

**Blue**

by **icypinkpop**

Pairing: Seto/Joey, hints of Yami/Yugi

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh, or these pretty boys. Too bad.

Authors Note/Warnings: First YuGiOh fic ever! OwO

I got this idea when I was staying at Hotel Del Coronado, lounging about lazily under an umbrella in a chair and a robe next to the pool. It just sort of came to me all of a sudden, and I couldn't pass it up x3 Hooray for plot bunnies.  
I did my best to make this as IC as possible; very difficult with this particular couple, but what's the fun of doing something easy? ;P On with the story!  
--

**Part Three**

In all his life, Seto Kaiba had never expected he would be doing this.

And yet here he was, standing outside Joey Wheeler's door, waiting for an answer to his knock. All it had taken was a quick trip to the front desk to secure the blond's room number; very rarely was information kept "confidential" from a Kaiba if they happened to ask for it. He had been thinking quite a bit about Joey since the night before, and while he had toyed with the idea of having his past rival meet him somewhere like before, it had occurred to him that he wasn't really in any position to be making demands.

That was new, too.

The soft click of a latch brought Seto back to reality, and his blue eyes widened at the sight of a tired-looking, mussy-haired Joey, whose brown orbs watched him with what looked very much like a mixture of surprise and fatigue.

Seto swallowed a cough, standing in what he hoped was an unassuming position. "Can I come in?"

Moments passed before Joey stood to the side, holding the door open for the other.

"Yeah, I guess so. The place is kinda a mess, though," the blond warned with a soft chuckle, not noticing Seto's visible wince. God, when had he become so…weak-kneed at the sound of that laugh? It had always annoyed the hell out of him before. And that wasn't the only thing…the slightly shorter male pulled off the casual look incredibly well. Clothed in only a pair of loose jeans and grey tank top, it was obvious Joey wasn't making any particular effort for his sudden guest.

Shaking his head, Seto strolled over and took a seat on the side of the unmade bed, surveying Joey softly from across the room.

"You look like you just woke up," he observed, more curiosity in his tone than the usual spite. Had the room service people been late delivering his letter? He was tempted to question the other about the night before, but kept the words from leaving his lips before they too could spill out.

"Eh, sorta," Joey shrugged. "I've been up for awhile. I just didn't read your note until a minute ago." The silence turned slightly awkward as the blond stared back at Seto from across the room, brown eyes tinged with wariness. If anything, the brunette was surprised by the lack of anger he saw in those skeptical orbs.

"…listen." Sitting down a few feet away from his rival, Joey put his elbows up on his knees and cradled the side of his face in his palm, never once breaking his gaze. "Whateva trick you're tryin' to play on me with all this stuff…I dunno where you're goin' with it," the blond said honestly, face a picture of confusion and slight…hurt?

Seto mentally cringed. God, he hoped Joey didn't start crying again.

Taking a breath, Joey sat back up to his full height and crossed his arms, a soft shade of distrust slipping over his features. "I-I don't want ya to keep messin' with me."

Glancing up at that remark, Seto tried not to look indignant. "Messing with you?" he repeated, brow furrowing angrily at the blond's obliviousness. "Hasn't it ever occurred to you that I might want something other than fighting with you for once?"

Both teens looked surprised at his question.

Trying his best to seem unaffected by the awkward silence, Seto was wondering whether he should simply stand up and leave before his vision was usurped by an expanse of blue. Startled, he moved back slightly and stared at the wrinkled coat he had offered Joey the night before, memory rushing back into his head. For one moment, one terribly uncomfortable moment, the CEO had the vague notion his cheeks were going pink.

"Somethin'…else?"

--

All Joey could do was stare as his classmate took back the coat, draping it over his lap with that same effortless grace that he had grown to admire. Something else…did Kaiba really mean what he thought he meant?

A soft glance back into those blue eyes, and Joey immediately had to turn his head and cross his legs.

"Yes. Something else. And I would think after the way I've been acting, you would have figured out exactly what it is."

Oh god.

Voice rising up in his throat, Joey bit his lip and deliberately kept his mouth shut. Was this a dream? Those soft chocolate strands and deep cerulean eyes certainly looked real enough. The pristine arch of his pale neck, swooping down to reveal just a glimpse of his collarbone beneath the folds of a black, presumably expensive shirt.

Joey shook his head. It just wasn't possible that THE Seto Kaiba could be interested in someone like him.

However, a narrowing of eyes in the blond's direction revealed that Joey's bewildered reaction obviously wasn't what the CEO wanted to see.

"Damn it, do I have to spell it out for you?" The obvious annoyance reached his ears and Joey looked up, watching the other stare at him with what looked to be frustration more than anything. "What do you call everything I've been doing for you?"

"I don't know!" Groaning, Joey forced his eyes back up. "Look, I don't understand it, all right? It's not fair! You've been an asshole to me my whole life and now you're being…different."

Joey was overwhelmed. Not sure what to do, he directed his gaze away from Seto and stood up, turning his back and pacing restlessly over the carpet. "Don't do this to me, Kaiba," he sighed out in defeat, reaching up with the intention to grip his head only to feel his wrists gripped. Startled, he snapped his head upwards, brown eyes locking with blue.

"…what gives?" he asked, heart pounding heavily in his chest as he felt a familiar sensation of sweat breaking out over the back of his neck. He had no idea what to expect. Was Kaiba going to beat the crap out of him now?

Mentally acknowledging defeat the moment those warm hands moved to grasp his own, Joey looked down, only to gasp as his head was promptly tilted back up.

And then it happened.

All of a sudden, the blond found himself pressed up forcefully against a tall body, held firmly in place by a strong arm around his waist and a hand gripping his hip. Hot lips were sealed over his own, effectively turning him into a frozen, trembling mass.

Knees weak and heat building between them, Joey went limp in the grasp and leaned up despite himself, brown eyes hazy and lidded. God, he just couldn't help himself…he wanted this. For whatever sick, twisted, nonsensical reason, he just couldn't get himself to pull away.

Instead, he slowly reached up and gripped at the folds of the other's black shirt, melting into the kiss.

A few moments passed, which, for all Joey knew, were eternities in themselves, before the grip on his body loosened slightly. Assuming that he was going to be shoved back, he stilled for a moment in reluctance, only to shudder happily as long fingers slipped in his hair. A hot tongue slipped between his lips, eliciting a muffled sound of disbelief from Joey's throat. Kaiba tasted so good…

After a second or two more, the warm mouth left his own, and it took the blond a moment to remember where he was and what had happened.

"That answer your question, puppy?"

Startling at the low voice, Joey engaged in a long series of rapid blinks, waiting for his vision to come back into focus as a single hand trailed up to touch his lips. "I…h-hey, ya said no dog names," he eventually protested with a flicker of a smile, not sure what else to say. His question was answered. At least, the primary one was. He'd have to time to fill in the details later.

As much as Seto Kaiba could drive him crazy, he couldn't force himself to hate it.

--

"Ungrateful mutt." Seto had to try as hard as he could not to smile, arms crossed over his chest. He would never admit it, of course, but this was exactly what he loved about Joey. No cutesy stuff, no easy rides. Just that same fiery spark and determined stubbornness that he had grown to love.

"Oh yeah? Well you're a smug rich asshole who probably gets off ta his own reflection!"

His point exactly.

Unable to hold it in, the brunette chuckled darkly. "Oh, you wish I did, don't you puppy?" he asked, blue eyes glittering. "Don't think I didn't feel that little problem you were having when you kissed me. I'm sure you've imagined that a thousand times."

A deep flush appeared over Joey's cheeks. "You kissed me, asshole!"

"And you liked it."

"You're impossible!"

Seto smirked. He had come to the blond's room intending to have a conversation about where they were going to go from here, but Joey obviously wasn't going to allow it. Silently, the brunette was relieved. There would be plenty of time for that later.

Right now, those dark brown eyes and endearing lips were all that mattered.

With a soft smirk his only warning, Seto reached out to grip Joey by the shoulders, yanking him in and sliding one hand beneath the shirt. Urged on by a stubborn groan, he proceeded to push his catch against the mattress and went for his lips, thoroughly enjoying the almost-convincing physical struggle.

By the next morning, he vowed, the maids would have quite a time trying to clean up Joey's room.

Unable by this time to hold back a grin, the Kaiba brought one of Joey's legs up around his hip, one hand pinning both wrists above the blond head.

--

--

"Yug'!" Gasping at the sight of his best friend waiting for him over near the baggage claim, Joey grinned and staggered clumsily in his direction, hindered by the heavy travel bags slung over each shoulder. Skidding to a halt, he reached down and wrapped his arms tightly around his small companion, smiling widely. "I missed ya so much! I'm so glad ya could come pick me up!"

Effectively compressed into an even smaller package than usual, Yugi gave the blonde a gentle squeeze back and patted his arm, gasping for breath when he was finally set down. "I missed you too, Joey," he coughed out, a smile making its way over his lips. "How was your flight?"

"Eh, all right. Long." Joey stretched his arms up above his head, yawning loudly. "Where's Yami at? Did you guys have fun on your anniversary?" he asked with a teasing grin, bending down just enough to elbow Yugi in the side.

Yugi blushed, just as the other had expected. "Uhm, y-yeah, we had a nice time," he affirmed shyly, looking up at Joey with timid yet happy violet eyes. "He went to go get something from the snack bar. I didn't want to go with him unless your flight arrived and I missed you," the smaller explained, gasping as two longer arms wrapped their way around his chest. Joey tried not to giggle too much at the sight of Yami behind his best friend, with a large soda cup in one hand and what appeared to be a wrapped sandwich in the other.

"Aibou, I got-" Yami looked up, just now realizing the blond was there. "Joey," he nodded in the other's direction, dark eyes widening slightly as he gave the taller man a slightly disconcerting stare. "What happened to your neck?"

Joey blinked in confusion, reaching up absently. "My neck?" he repeated, pressing gently down with a finger and wincing in pain. Lips parting in realization, he went pink and quickly pulled his collar up to hide the marks, giving hasty grin. "It's nothin', honest. Jus' had a little…uh…"

"Hey, yeah, there is something." Wrenching away from Yami's grip, a worried Yugi strolled up and moved Joey's collar to the side, gasping at what he saw patterned over the blond's flesh. "It's all bruised! That looks like it hurts," he said in concern, pulling away slowly. "Do you want me to take you to the Game Shop first? I think Grandpa has some ointment that could help that."

"Nah, it's fine. Barely hurts. Really, Yug'," Joey insisted, unsettled by the almost…knowing look Yami was sending his direction. Seemingly a little less anxious, Yugi shrugged and moved back into the Pharaoh's arms, sucking a little at the straw that poked from the drink cup.

"All right then. Are you ready to go?" the smaller asked, pointing in the general direction of Joey's shoulder. "I can carry one of those bags for you, if you want."

"Wheeler won't be needing you to drive him home anymore."

Making a sound of surprise, Joey turned to the side to find an impatient CEO standing to his right, with his arms crossed and face its usual picture of annoyance. The blond bit his lip, embarrassed.

"Seto…I told ya Yug' was gonna take me," he said softly, having had this discussion already on the plane. He and the Kaiba brothers had agreed to return to Domino on the same day, and Joey had informed the other that his best friend was going to be there to pick him up. At the time, Seto hadn't objected. Joey wondered when the plans had changed.

He also wondered how the Hell he was going to explain himself to his friends when they found out what was going on between himself and the wealthy businessman.

"Oh, hi Kaiba." Waving, Yugi gave the tall brunette a smile, though it was obvious he was more than a little perplexed. "Joey mentioned you were staying at the same hotel when he called me. What are the odds, huh?"

Seto was silent.

"Uhh…" Not really sure what to do, Joey simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled, chuckling. He really didn't want to blow Yugi off, especially after he had come so far to do him the favor of picking him up. But then again, he didn't want to be put in a situation of having to recount the details of what had transpired with Kaiba that past week.

He flushed. After that first night when they had kissed, he and the brunette had managed to stay civil enough to one another for the next couple of days at the resort. They had met on the beach the last day before leaving for Domino and talked, mostly about how they felt for one another. While it was incredibly difficult to get anything incriminating out of Seto Kaiba, Joey felt like he understood enough for now.

Not to say that the bickering had lightened up much.

"I called ahead of time for my driver to pick us up," the CEO effectively snapped Joey from his thoughts, directing his gaze towards the nearly identical lovers. "I have business with Wheeler. After it's taken care of, I'll have someone take him home." Blue eyes narrowed slightly, and Joey had difficulty keeping his blush back.

He couldn't believe it. Seto actually wanted to spend time with him.

As much as the blond wanted to go with his friend as planned, he knew he had to soak up every bit of Seto attention he could get.

"Ah…sorry Yug' I think it's really important," he shrugged one shoulder, smiling guiltily. "Ah'm really sorry ya came all the way up here…I can pay ya the gas money."

Confusion in his dark eyes, Yugi opened his mouth to say something before a slightly smirking Yami cupped his ear. The Pharaoh murmured something indecipherable under his breath, and moments later a dark flush rose up over Yugi's face, which seemed only to deepen Yami's amused expression.

"Oh, um, it's fine Joey," Yugi said with an honest nod and smile, waving a small hand as he began to turn around. "I really just wanted to make sure you got back okay. I'll see you Monday, right? When school starts again?"

Glad his friend wasn't upset, Joey nodded eagerly. "Yeah, 'course. Thanks Yug'. Bye you guys!" he waved at the couple as they began to walk away, watching until both were out of sight.

"…why do ya want me comin' with ya?" the blonde inquired once his friends were sufficiently out of earshot, turning around onto to find Kaiba standing unusually close. He blinked. "What the…? Hey, I asked ya somethin'."

The CEO gave a shake of the head, features displaying a sort of reluctant amusement. "Am I not allowed to look at what's mine?"

Joey gaped. "Wha…h-hey! I ain't no piece of merchandise!" That was practically all he could get out before his lips started curling up into an irrepressible smile. Sure, it was weird. He doubted he'd get to hear the almighty Seto Kaiba say things like that very often. Not that it wasn't a rather Seto Kaiba-y thing to say. He'd just never thought he would hear that sort of possessiveness directed his way.

But it was a Kaiba remark, after all. It would go against their usual behavior for Joey not to respond in kind.

"Jerk."

"Mutt."

"Snob."

"Idiot."

"Freak."

"Screamer."

"…HEY!"

Before the blonde could fight back, he felt warm arms pulling him in, and just this once, Joey decided not to fight it. Just this once.

--

"What?!"

Yugi stared at his dark side with a gobsmacked expression, violet eyes almost threatening to burst from his skull from their increased size. "What do you mean they're together?! How do you know?!"

Yami shook his head a bit, a smirk playing over his lips. "You didn't realize?" he asked, chuckling somewhat darkly under his breath. "You saw the bruises yourself."

"…so?" Looking up at his other half, Yugi opened his mouth to say something when slender fingertips fell over his lips, effectively halting his words.

"You should know what a love bite looks like, aibou." Strong arms scooped Yugi up, crimson eyes looking suspiciously into purple. "I think I've given you enough of those."

With that, a short, struggling king of games was dragged from the airport, cheeks flustered and hands gripping at his lover's blue-clad shoulders.

--

--

The end! :D I hope you liked it. Let me know?


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